OCPS: District would lose $16-plus million if bill passes

OCPS officials said proposed revisions to Florida Statute 1011.62 in HB 5101 will affect program funding for add-on Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge (AICE), Dual Enrollment (DE), and Career and Professional Education (CAPE). 

The proposed changes reduce add-on FTE funding by 50% and would have a detrimental impact on our schools,” officials said.

A 50% reduction in add-on FTE would result in an estimated financial loss of $16,835,797 for OCPS, based on the most recent funding distribution of $33,671,594 for add-on FTE, of which 100% has been allocated for utilization. 

For the years required in a Florida Department of Education survey, OCPS used 56% of funds to pay teachers. Thirty-six percent was used for professional development, instructional resources, equipment, examination fees, career and curriculum counselors, on-the-job training, and apprenticeship initiatives. 

Courtesy of OCPS

Although other programs and schools are holding onto the funds and not using them, that is not the case for OCPS, officials said. Many of the programs can be costly to operate with items that fall into the generic FDOE “other” category. These items include lab materials and secure chemical storage needed for AP/1B/AICE lab science courses; production props needed for 1B Theatre and AICE Drama; research databases needed for AP Seminar; AP Research; AICE Global Perspectives and 1B Theory of Knowledge courses; professional editing software for AICE Media Studies; and others.

Funds also are used to cover substitute costs for teacher professional learning, along with other program dues and fees. 

OCPS officials issued alternative options to the budget cuts:

• Require districts to submit an annual expenditure report for add-on FTE with a more specific breakdown of “other” expenditures;

• Implement a timeline on unspent funds before they are returned or reallocated; and

• Define allowable and prohibited expenditures to ensure alignment with program goals.